BEVERLY EAVES PERDUE
GOVERNOR
2010
BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
A PROCLAMATION TO COMMEMORATE THE GREENSBORO WOOLWORTH’S SIT-IN
WHEREAS, on February 1, 1960, four freshmen students from North Carolina Agricultural and
Technical State University sat down and requested service at F.W. Woolworth's segregated lunch counter
in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina; and
WHEREAS, their peaceful protest sparked a nationwide sit-in movement and garnered national
attention; and
WHEREAS, the sit-in initiated by the brave young men from North Carolina A&T State
University 50 years ago helped propel the Greensboro community onto the global stage; and
WHEREAS, we pause to commemorate and celebrate this act of heroism with the opening of the
new International Civil Rights Center & Museum, on Monday, February 1, 2010; and
WHEREAS, the historic International Civil Rights Center & Museum, located at the site of the
February 1, 1960, sit-in stands as a memorial to justice and equality; and
WHEREAS, the sit-in celebrations will be held throughout 2010 to make Greensboro and Guilford
County a target destination on the East Coast, attracting visitors from across the nation and around the
globe to witness this moment in history that changed our nation; and
WHEREAS, the vision of the founders of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum and the
courage of North Carolina A&T State University, Bennett College for Women, Woman’s College of the
University of North Carolina (now UNCG), and other academic institutions, served to enhance our ability
to model public advocacy and social responsibility for youth; and
WHEREAS, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum will stand as a monument to
illustrate the sacrifice of millions of freedom-loving people who came together to live out the promise of
this nation;
North
, 1 have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of
Raleigh this twenty-first day of January in the year of our Lord two
thousand and ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
fourth.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Beverly Eaves Perdue, do hereby proclaim February 1, 2010, as a day to
commemorate the 50lh anniversary of the sit-ins, and urge all citizens to join me in honoring Dr. Jibreel
Khazan (Ezell Blair, Jr.), Dr. Franklin McCain, Dr. Joseph Alfred McNeil, and the late Dr. David Leinail
Richmond for their^a£rtfi<ies to keep America’s dream of democracy alive.
BEVERLY EAVES PERDUE
